Softwr

CAD · head to head

IronCAD vs RealityScan

IronCAD logo

IronCAD

CAD

Innovative 3D design software with drag-and-drop simplicity

From
$3500/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RealityScan logo

RealityScan

CAD

The photogrammetry engine formerly called RealityCapture, free below a one million dollar revenue line

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only RealityScan has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: IronCAD pricing page not found; RealityScan the free tier is bounded by company revenue rather than by usage, so a business crossing one million US dollars of turnover acquires a per-seat cost overnight for software its workflow now depends on
  • They diverge on capability: IronCAD covers Hybrid parametric/direct modeling, RealityScan covers Photogrammetric reconstruction.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IronCAD and RealityScan actually diverge.

Attributes where IronCAD and RealityScan differ
AttributeIronCADRealityScan
Starting price$3500/one-timeFree
Pricing modelone-timeFree below a revenue threshold, then per seat per year
Free tierNoYes
Founded1998Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Windows), user rating (Not yet rated), category (CAD).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in IronCAD

  • Hybrid parametric/direct modeling
  • Drag-and-drop design
  • Multi-body assemblies
  • Sheet metal tools
  • 2D drafting
  • STEP
  • IGES
  • Parasolid

Only in RealityScan

  • Photogrammetric reconstruction
  • Laser scan fusion
  • Ground control points
  • Texturing and unwrapping
  • Command line interface
  • Unreal Engine path
  • Component alignment control

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

IronCAD

  • Product developmentnot RealityScan
  • Machine designnot RealityScan
  • Tooling designnot RealityScan
  • Rapid prototypingnot RealityScan

RealityScan

  • A two-person heritage survey practice under the revenue threshold that can now run professional photogrammetry at no licence costnot IronCAD
  • A film or games asset team scanning props and environments at very high image counts where processing speed decides the schedulenot IronCAD
  • A survey firm combining terrestrial laser scans with drone photography and needing both aligned in a single reconstructionnot IronCAD
  • A construction reality-capture operator producing meshes for Unreal-based client visualisation from the same source imagerynot IronCAD

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

IronCAD

  • pricing page not found

RealityScan

  • The free tier is bounded by company revenue rather than by usage, so a business crossing one million US dollars of turnover acquires a per-seat cost overnight for software its workflow now depends on
  • New perpetual licences are no longer sold, so an organisation that deliberately avoided subscription software has no route in; existing perpetual holders keep their version but stop receiving updates unless they accept the current terms
  • It is Windows only and needs an NVIDIA CUDA capable GPU, which excludes macOS studios and makes the real cost of adoption a workstation purchase rather than a licence
  • The rename from RealityCapture to RealityScan in 2025 means tutorials, forum answers and third party pipeline documentation are split across two names and several licensing regimes, and much of it is now wrong about price
  • The interface assumes photogrammetry knowledge; alignment failures, control point placement and reconstruction region setup are not guided, so a team without an experienced operator produces poor models quickly rather than good ones slowly

Pricing, plan by plan

IronCAD

$3500/one-time
  • IronCAD Design Collaboration Suite$3500/one-time
    • Full parametric and direct modeling
    • Drag-and-drop design
    • Multi-format CAD import/export
  • IronCAD Ultimate$6000/one-time
    • All Design Suite features
    • Advanced simulation
    • Rendering tools

RealityScan

Free
  • Free tierFree
    • For individuals and companies with annual revenue under 1,000,000 USD
    • Full application, no metered input charges
    • Epic account required
  • RealityScan seat$1250/year
    • Required once annual revenue exceeds 1,000,000 USD
    • Per seat, per year
    • Commercial use without output restrictions
  • Unreal Engine subscription$1850/year
    • Per seat per year
    • Includes RealityScan and Twinmotion
    • For teams that also need Unreal Engine for non-game commercial use

Which should you pick?

Choose IronCAD if

  • You need hybrid parametric/direct modeling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want drag-and-drop design.
IronCAD review

Choose RealityScan if

  • You need photogrammetric reconstruction.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want laser scan fusion.
RealityScan review

Questions people ask

Is IronCAD or RealityScan better?
Neither clearly leads. IronCAD starts at $3500/one-time and RealityScan at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IronCAD or RealityScan?
RealityScan has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $3500/one-time for IronCAD and Free for RealityScan.
Does IronCAD or RealityScan run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use RealityScan for free?
Yes. RealityScan has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IronCAD starts at $3500/one-time.
What is IronCAD best used for?
IronCAD is most often used for product development, machine design, tooling design, rapid prototyping. Of those, product development and machine design are not what RealityScan is typically brought in for.
What can IronCAD do that RealityScan cannot?
IronCAD covers Hybrid parametric/direct modeling, Drag-and-drop design, Multi-body assemblies, Sheet metal tools. RealityScan covers Photogrammetric reconstruction, Laser scan fusion, Ground control points, Texturing and unwrapping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IronCAD: Where can I find IronCAD pricing?

IronCAD's pricing page is not available. Contact IronCAD directly through their website for CAD software licensing and pricing information.

Source
RealityScan: Is RealityCapture still called that?

No. Epic rebranded it to RealityScan with version 2.0 in 2025. It is the same engine and the same team.

RealityScan: Who gets it free?

Individuals and companies with annual revenue under one million US dollars. Above that, a seat is 1,250 US dollars per year.

RealityScan: Can I still buy a perpetual licence?

Not for new purchases. Existing perpetual licences remain valid for the version owned, with updates only under the current terms.

RealityScan: Does the free version restrict output?

No output metering or watermarking; the restriction is on who qualifies, based on company revenue, not on what you export.

Share

Related pages

More on IronCAD

More on RealityScan

Keep looking

Other head to heads